U.S.-CHINA COMMISSION News Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Kathy Michels - (202) 624-1409
E-mail: "mailto:kmichels@uscc.gov"
Website address: "http://www.uscc.gov"

U.S.–China Commission
444 North Capitol Street, NW
The Hall of the States, Suite 602
Washington, D.C. 20001

THE CONGRESSIONAL U.S.-CHINA COMMISSION BEGINS ITS WORK

Washington, D.C. – The U.S.-China Security Review Commission, established by Congress effective with the 107th Congress, is gearing up to its assigned task of analyzing the national security implications of trade and economic ties between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China. The Commission held its first organizational meeting in the U.S. Capitol today and will be announcing its schedule for technical briefings and hearings shortly. C. Richard D'Amato, Delegate to the Maryland House of Delegates from Annapolis, MD, was elected Chairman of the Commission. Dr. Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, was elected Vice Chairman.

Chairman C. Richard D'Amato said, "The members of the Commission have a wide range of expertise and backgrounds to conduct an extensive inquiry into the full range of factors, both economic and military, which affect America's national security and the course of our long-term relationship with the People's Republic of China. The U.S.-China relationship is clearly the most important bilateral relationship America has today as our national interests shift strategically to the Pacific region and away from our historic cold war emphasis on Europe. The Congressional leaders created this Commission to secure regular in-depth assessments of the national security implications, including relevant economic and military factors driving the overall relationship.

A great deal of new and original analysis and investigation will be needed, and the Congress has provided the Commission with a wide-ranging mandate (a copy is attached of the Commissionís legislation). The Commission intends to exercise its mandate to the fullest extent possible and provide a report, together with any recommendations for legislative or administrative actions, in both classified and unclassified forms, next March and annually thereafter.

It will support new research, will take testimony from the Executive branch, our military commanders, business, labor and outside experts from academia, and the think tanks across the country, and plans to travel to the Far East in the course of its work. The Commission will meet again on April 24, 2001, in Washington, D.C., for the purpose of taking testimony on the Administrationís decision on arms sales to Taiwan."

The members of the Commission appointed by the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are as follows:

George Becker - Pittsburgh, PA; Vice President, Executive Council, AFL-CIO; Former International President, United Steelworkers of America; Appointed by Minority Leader Gephardt, U.S. House of Representatives

Stephen D. Bryen - Silver Spring, Maryland; Managing Partner, Aurora Corporation; Former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense; Founder and First Director of the Defense Technology Security Administration; Appointed by Speaker Hastert, U.S. House of Representatives

C. Richard DíAmato - Annapolis, MD (Chairman); Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates; Former Counsel to Senator Byrd; Appointed by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Daschle

June Teufel Dreyer - Coral Gables, FL; Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute; Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Miami; Appointed by Speaker Hastert, U.S. House of Representatives

Michael A. Ledeen - Chevy Chase, MD (Vice Chairman); Resident Scholar in the Freedom Chair, American Enterprise Institute; Former Advisor to the Secretary of State; the National Security Advisor to the President; and the Office of Secretary of Defense; Appointed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Lott, February 13, 2001

Kenneth Lewis - Portland, OR; Retired President, Lasco Shipping Co.; Former Member, Presidential Commission on U.S.-Pacific Trade and Investment Policy; Appointed by Minority Leader Gephardt, U.S. House of Representatives

James R. Lilley - Washington, DC; Resident Scholar for China, Taiwan, and Korea, American Enterprise Institute; Former U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China; Appointed by Speaker Hastert, U.S. House of Representatives

Patrick A. Mulloy - Alexandria, VA; Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance; Former Counsel to Senator Sarbanes; Appointed by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Daschle

William A. Reinsch - Bethesda, MD; Former Undersecretary of Commerce for Export Administration; Former Counsel to Senator Heinz and Senator Rockefeller; Appointed by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Daschle

Roger W. Robinson, Jr. - Bethesda, MD; Chairman, William J. Casey Institute of the Center for Security Policy; Former Senior Director of International Economic Affairs at the National Security Council; Appointed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Lott

Arthur Waldron - Bryn Mawr, PA; Director of Asian Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Professor of International Relations; University of Pennsylvania; Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Mr. Lott

Michael R. Wessel - Falls Church, VA; Senior Vice President, Downey McGrath Group; Former Counsel to Congressman Gephardt; Appointed by Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Mr. Gephardt

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